The theft of goods carried out by bogus haulage companies is spreading across Europe. A BBC investigation published on 17 November 2025 shows that freight theft in the United Kingdom has caused losses of £111 million, up from £68 million in 2023. The method involves purchasing companies using stolen identities or fictitious ownership and then applying as subcontractors to legitimate operators before disappearing with the assigned cargoes.
The broadcaster highlights a concrete case involving a network of five transport firms bought in 2025 using the bank and personal details of a Romanian driver who had died months earlier. One of these companies was hired as a subcontractor by a Midlands operator which, based on the insurance, licences and documentation appearing to be in order, entrusted it with a load of DIY products. The lorry, fitted with false number plates, was loaded at the manufacturer’s premises and then vanished along with goods worth £75,000.
The case illustrates how the manipulation of databases and business registries can help construct a credible corporate identity. The BBC found that the previous owners of the companies involved had negotiated the sale not with the formal owner but with an intermediary known as “Benny”. An analysis of Companies House records and the phone numbers used during the negotiations revealed overlaps between the numbers employed to buy the companies and those used to arrange the collection of the stolen load.
According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the phenomenon is becoming increasingly organised and sophisticated, creating a growing need for cooperation between law enforcement bodies and industry operators. Police confirmed that investigations into the Midlands case form part of a series of similar incidents in other parts of the country. The method identified also mirrors schemes previously observed by Europol across Europe, where haulage firms on the brink of insolvency are taken over by criminal groups to gain access to loads and disappear.
The BBC also documented more traditional forms of theft, including attacks on trucks stopped for delivery or stuck in traffic, break-ins at depots, curtain-slashing during overnight stops and the theft of entire semi-trailers. Drivers interviewed reported frequent incidents of cut curtains and attempted intrusions, with clothing, alcohol and electronics among the most targeted categories. The trade body Road Haulage Association confirmed to the broadcaster a rise in daily reports of fraud and theft, noting how the techniques used are becoming increasingly complex and selective. According to director Richard Smith, the haulage sector now finds itself in a condition of systemic vulnerability. Police, through Opal, the unit dedicated to property-related crime, also announced an expansion of intelligence activities over the coming year.
